Chapter 3
Hearing is the process by which takes place when the ears pick sound waves that come from the speaker while listening is the process of interpreting and evaluating what the speaker has said.
The eight key techniques of effective listening include:
- Preparing yourself physically and intellectually to listen to the speaker.
- Be ready to work hard to pay attention.
- Listen analytically so as understand what the speaker is saying.
- Taking notes for reference and keeping you focuses throughout the speech.
- Avoiding distractions to ensure you are easily concentrating on the speech.
- Avoid fake listening while the mind is far away from the speaker.
- Avoid judging the speaker by their appearance.
- Managing emotions in reaction the speaker’s topic.
The listener has three primary responsibilities that include showing courtesy and respect, give the speaker encouragement as well as make it a responsibility to find value in every speech.
Evaluation of speeches is important to both the evaluators and the speaker. Evaluating speeches aids the speaker to improve on the speech making skills. When evaluating a speech you should find out on both the negative and positive sides of a speech, provide specific and constructive suggestions. During receiving an evaluation, one should avoid being defensive, but rather listen and understand the critiques for improvements.
What did you learn that you didn’t know before that can help you to become a better presenter or public speaker?
It is important for a speaker to receive an evaluation of her speech. It helps to make improvements from the critics that the evaluators provide. The critics should therefore not be avoided, but be welcomed. While receiving an evaluation of your speech stop being defensive and seek clarification and accept the suggestions presented by the evaluators.
What did you not understand or would like to have explained better?
The chapter should have given more explanation on the speech evaluation. This would include the tips on how to ensure that as a speaker you are not being defensive when receiving an evaluation of your speech. It would also include how to determine that the evaluator is balancing between the negative and positive points on your speech.
